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Chefchaouen

Morocco

Morocco Travel Guide

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Chefchaouen also called The Pearl of the North, is a city of captivating beauty. Its clear, clean light and its white and blue houses make this city one of the most beautiful in Morocco. It is an irresistible destination to a numerous painters and artists. It is most noted for its Mediterranean architecture, popular design, the blue and indigo centenary doors and its white walls covered with layers and layers and layers of lime. The people of Chefchaouen paint the walls and floors of the houses several times a year, and even paint the floor of the streets, many with irregular shaped staircases, coinciding with seasonal changes and annual celebrations.

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Overview

Beautifully perched beneath the raw peaks of the Rif, Chefchaouen is one of the prettiest towns in Morocco, an artsy, blue-washed mountain village that feels like its own world. While tourism has definitely taken hold, the balance between ease and authenticity is just right. The old medina is a delight of Moroccan and Andalusian influence with red-tiled roofs, bright-blue buildings and narrow lanes converging on busy Plaza Uta El Hammam and its restored kasbah. Long known to backpackers for the easy availability of kif (cannabis), the town has rapidly gentrified and offers a range of quality accommodation, good food, lots to do and no hassles to speak of, making it a strong alternative to a hectic multicity tour. This is a great place to relax, explore and take day trips to the cool green hills.

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  1. 1Riding a camel through the Agafay Desert dunes at sunset
  2. 2Getting lost in the labyrinthine streets of the Old Medina during a guided Marrakesh walking tour
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